Convivio is another of the fabulous restaurants in the Chris
Cannon-Michael White empire. Tucked away in Tudor City, Convivio seems to get
less mention than Alto or Marea, Cannon and White’s other two Manhattan
restauraunts, but the food is equally brilliant and well worth a visit. Even
better, prices are more modest than at either Alto or Marea. The menu at
Convivio is based on the bold flavors of southern Italy and is offered either
as a four course prix-fixe for $62 or a a la carte.

We started with an assortment of sfizi, small vegetable and
meat dishes served family-style. The pastas were among the many highlights of
this incredible dinner and showcased White’s penchant for intense flavors to
the fullest. The squid ink pappardelle were delicious. The malloredus
(Sardinian-inspired saffron gnochetti) boasted perfect texture and
beautifully-articulated, racy flavors. The tortelli were literally bursting
with character. The fish main courses were just as tasty, but there was
something intimately comforting about the pastas that was hard to beat.
Executive Pastry Chef Heather Bertinetti’s desserts were bold and explosive,
but not for those on a diet! Still, all of our choices were delicious,
especially the bomboloni. I imagine that a taste of any of these desserts is
probably enough to satisfy just about anyone’s sweet tooth.

Sommelier Levi Dalton has put together one of the most
intriguing wine lists in New York City. Convivio is the perfect place to
explore some of Italy’s hard to find cult wines. Diners will find a broad
selection of whites from the school that favors extended skin contact, as well
as a number of important reds from Campania and Sicily that pair beautifully
with the food. Even better, the list is very reasonably priced, as the vast
majority of the wines from these regions remain less well known than those of
Tuscany and Piedmont. The wine list alone offers more than enough compelling
choices to merit a visit.

I loved Terredora di
Paolo’s 2008 Greco di Tufo Loggia della Serra for its perfumed aromatics
and clean, zesty flavors. It was a perfect wine with which to start the dinner.
I was initially less enthused with this bottle of Vestini Campagnano’s 2006 Pallagrello Bianco Le Òrtole, which
wasn’t as expressive as I had hoped. Some of the varietal character seemed
obscured, but I have to say the wine’s textural richness worked beautifully to
balance some of the richer flavors in the pastas, like the saffron in the
malloredus and the guanciale and cracked black pepper in the tortelli. The 2007 Passopisciaro, Nerello Mascalese
from Sicily’s cold-climate Mount Etna district, was simply gorgeous. This
relatively mid-weight, floral red emerged from the glass with a level of
sensual beauty that was remarkable, bringing to mind varities such as Pinot
Noir and Nebbiolo, but with an unmistakeable sense of the Etna. Refined and
silky throughout, it was an ideal wine to enjoy alongside our main courses.